Ashes to Ashes
by deadly sorrow
Summary: I'd lived in darkness ever since my mother died. Now that I was freed from that darkness, I had to embrace an even darker strand. I had to make a deal to get my revenge, a deal with the man who had saved me. The Dark One. Companion piece to my story 'Say You'll Remember'


**Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and any unrecognizable characters.**

**This story is a companion to my story "Say You'll remember", featuring my OC named Lily, who is a love interest of Peter Pan. She has a history with Rumpelstiltskin, and I decided to dedicate this oneshot to how my character Lily met Rumpelstiltskin.**

**Hope you like it!**

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0o0o0o0

And my heart is a hollow plain,

For the Devil to dance again.

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"Where are you, girl?!" Panting, I slipped behind the tree, covering my mouth as hoofbeats thundered past my hiding spot. I clenched my eyes shut as they stopped, my heart leaping into my throat as footstep approached my hiding spot.

"She couldn't have gotten far, and the Baron wants her back by tonight." I bit my lower lips, holding back a whimper as I tasted blood. As the footsteps came closer, I dashed away from the tree, screaming as my leg was caught.

I landed with a hard thud, gasping as large hands turned me over to face the Baron's head huntsman. He sneered down at me before he called to his partner.

"Get the rope!" I opened my mouth to scream again, though the sound was cut off when he covered my mouth with his hand. He glared and hissed down at me. "Shut up, you insolent brat!" He accepted the rope from his still silent partner, tossing another command over his shoulder as he began to tie my mud streaked hands together.

"Get a gag!" Wide-eyed, I started twisting violently in his hold and screamed one final thing before he gagged me.

"Rumpelstiltskin I summon you!" As he continued to tie me up and hefted me over his shoulder, I struggled, tears pouring down my face as I caught sight of the Huntsman's partner. He gave me a sad, knowing look.

"Don't fight and it'll be easier." I gasped, the sound muffled by the gag, as a cloaked figure came from behind the man, his voice chirpy and trilling.

"How right you are, dearie!" The man holding me jerked around, his eyes wide as he dumped me to the ground. I flinched when my already battered body hit the dirt, twisting around in time to see the unknown man flamboyantly fling his cloak to the side, his eyes glowing in the dark woods as he grinned at my captors.

"Now, what ever are you two gentleman doing to that sweet, little girl?" The huntsman huffed and walked forward, drawing his sword.

"Leave here, Dark One. This is none of your concern." The man tilted his head, his oddly colored eyes meeting mine as he winked at me, before giggling at them and clapping his hands.

"Well, as the little girl summoned me, and pronounced my name correctly, mind you," I blinked as he smiled at me, his voice chipper even as his eyes gleamed maliciously at the two men. "I do believe that this had become my business, don't you?"

He glanced at me as the two men advanced on him, his voice turning hard.

"Do you want to go with these men?" I shook my head frantically, tears streaming down my mud-coated face as I did so. His eyes darkened as he turned back to the two men, his voice sing-song, and he smiled at the Huntsman.

"Then I have my answer, dearie."

"Enough of this!" I watched in horror as the huntsman snarled and moved forward, intent on running this man through with his sword. Wide-eyed, I made to scream, only to freeze when the man stopped and dropped his weapon.

"What...is this?" Horrified, I watched with morbid curiosity as the shorter man pulled back from the huntsman, holding a beating heart in his oddly colored hand, his voice filled with glee.

"That, dearie. Is the power of the Dark One." He glanced back at me before he placed the heart near his face and whispered into it. "Now, untie the girl, remove her gag her and let her come to me."

To my shock, the huntsman did as Rumpelstiltskin said, his movements smooth compared to the expression on his face. As soon as he unbound me, I scrambled away from him, my eyes wide as I backed away from all three of them.

"Come here, dearie." I looked at the strange man as he offered his free hand to me, his tone coaxing as I slowly moved to him and took his proferred hand. He gaze me a smile before turning back to the heart he held, his tone giddy as he questioned me.

"So, what does the young lady think I should do with the heart of this man?" I looked up, meeting the horrified eyes of the huntsman and his partner, the former's expression was pleading.

Aware that these two men would have taken me back to be with that horrible Baron my brother had sold me to, I narrowed my eyes and hissed up at my savior, my voice filled with hate.

"Crush it."

Letting out a delight giggle, he did as I said and soon enough, the heart was nothing but dust in his palm as the man collapsed onto the forest floor, gasping and choking before he fell deathly silent.

I glared up at the other man, my eyes narrowed as he backed away from us.

"Please, don't hurt me." I ignored his pleading and, when Rumpelstiltskin glanced at me, his eyes curious, I nodded, earning me another giddy laugh and a pat on the head. I remained silent as he moved forward, cackling as the other man tried to run him through with a sword, the metal harmlessly going through his body. I only reacted when he called to me, his voice frantic and pleading.

"Please! I was only following orders!" I glared at him, feeling hatred for the first time in my eight years.

"You should have thought about that before you tried to take me back to _him_!"

His reply hitched in his chest as the organ was slowly crushed, words turning to gasping and choking as the organ was turned to dust and he fell to the ground, his wide eyes staring blankly.

I exhaled slowly, suddenly aware that I was free from this place and its Lord. I glanced up at Rumpelstiltskin as he walked back to me, brushing dirt off his cloak as he picked it up.

"Thank you, sir." He glanced at me, his lips twitching into a grin as he smiled fondly down at me.

"No thanks needed, dearie. I haven't had this much fun in ages, nor have I met someone so promising at such a tender age." He tilted his head, seemingly struck by something. "Speaking of which, how old are you?"

"Eight years old, sir. I'll be nine, come midwinter." He nodded, gently patting my cheek.

"Well, would you like me to accompany you to the next village or until we find your parents." I looked down, my joy fading at his words, cold pain settling into my chest.

"My parents are dead, sir. I only have my brother, and he sold me to the Lord of these lands." He tsked softly and, with a wave of his hand, he made my head tilt up until I was looking up at him, my eyes wide.

"Well, I shall take you to the next village, surely there is someone willing to care for you." I looked down, swallowing heavily.

"The nearest village belongs to this lord, and he has a bounty on my head, sir." I glanced up, an idea striking me as he raised an eyebrow at my excited face. "Let me come with you! I want to learn what you do, how to crush hearts into dust!" I glanced at the two dead men before I looked back into his surprised, but intrigued face.

"You're a little young to study magic, dearie." I shook my head, adamant that I go with this man.

"But, I need to protect myself, please! I need my revenge!" His eyes lit up and he leaned down, his nose nearly touching mine, gripping my shoulder as I nearly fell back in surprise.

"Revenge, you say?" I nodded and he cackled again, his face alight with glee. "It seems you are the right age to be my student. If one can feel hate at such a young age, one can learn from the Dark One."

"How about a deal? I teach you magic and take you as my student, if you promise to become my assistant?" I nodded wildly as he smiled down at me, his eyes glinting madly when he nodded his head.

I smiled up at him as he waved his hands, a smaller cloak appearing before he wrapped it around me and pulled the hood up. He straightened and offered his hand to me, his tone light.

"What is your name, dearie?"

"Lily."

"That's not nearly terrifying enough." He huffed, muttering under his breath for a few moments before he clapped his hands together in glee. "I have it!"

I glanced up at him as he bestowed upon me my new name, one that I knew would lead to a future of darkness and power.

"Lillith."

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**A/N: Don't forget to review!**


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